The cop who asked Kasab: Kitne aadmi the?

Senior Inspector Nagappa R Mahale was in charge of the D B Marg police station -- the first police station to respond -- on November 26, 2008.

Little did Mahale realise then that he would be making headlines, reports Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar.

Mahale doubled the number of road barriers at Chowpatty Beach when he felt the terrorists may try to bulldoze their way through. He was also the first police officer to question Ajmal Kasab at the Nair Hospital.

'Kitne admi the? (How many men were there with you?)' was my first question to Ajmal Kasab.

We wanted to know what we were up against. He said '10'. Next, I asked him from where they had come. He said 'Karachi'.

I asked him what their objectives. He said four of them were to attack the Trident hotel, another four were assigned to attack the Taj Mahal hotel, and the remaining two were to attack the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

Kasab said they had been trained, and were shown pictures of the locations that were to be attacked. Their objective was to kill as many people as they could and cause maximum damage.

I was asking him what weapons they were carrying when (Mumbai police) crime branch officers showed up. They took Kasab into custody as they had taken charge of the case.

I went back to the police station and oversaw the first information report being filed, which was later handed over to the crime branch.

People have forgotten the 26/11 attacks, and the stellar role officers and men at the D B Marg police station played in creating history. My superiors too have forgotten. It is only my friends in the media who still respect us. But you too wake up every anniversary to give us some credit. Thank you.

I am proud that as a lawful country we gave Kasab every opportunity to defend himself. I am glad that Pakistan's role in the attacks has been exposed.

We have given many shradanjalis (condolences) to the victims of 26/11. This was the final shradanjali.

I hope my colleague Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble who gave his life to save his friends and helped catch Kasab alive is happy wherever he is.